CBD for children:
CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a substance extracted from cannabis or marijuana. It is available commercially in many forms, from liquid to chewable gummies. It has become very popular as a treatment for a number of conditions, including some in children. CBD doesn’t get you high. Although CBD is usually obtained without a prescription, Epidiolex, a drug made from CBD, is available with a prescription from your doctor.
Epidiolex is prescribed for two severe, rare forms of epilepsy in children: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. Parents sometimes use commercially manufactured CBD to treat certain conditions in children, such as anxiety and hyperactivity. One can easily get the gummies cbd, hemp cbd oil, and cbd 25mg capsules from stores. Caregivers may also use it for children on the autism spectrum to try to ease some of the symptoms of autism. CBD has not been extensively tested for safety or effectiveness. While there is promising research about CBD, particularly for seizure control, not much is still known about it. Some parents feel comfortable passing it on to their children, while others do not.
Its medicinal purpose
For centuries, cannabis plants have been used for medicinal purposes around the world. In 1851 marijuana was classified by the United States Pharmacopeia as a viable medical compound used to treat conditions such as epilepsy, migraine, and pain. But ever since marijuana and cannabis-related products were made illegal in the US in the 1970s, research about marijuana, or CBD, has been lacking. Its classification as a Schedule 1 drug made it nearly impossible to obtain federal funding to study cannabis.
«The biggest problem is that we still need to know a lot, especially in children,» says Paul Mitrani, MD, clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. «With regard to the treatment of mental health disorders in children and adolescents, there is a lack of evidence to support its use.»
Dr. Mitrani, who is a pediatrician and child and adolescent psychiatrist, says this is an area worth investigating, but recommends that parents wait until further research is done before giving CBD to a child.